South African Class 34-000

No. 34-044 at Saldanha, Western Cape, 26 July 2009

Type and origin
Power type	Diesel-electric
Designer	General Electric
Builder	General Electric SA GE-DL Locomotive Group
Serial number	37810-37934
Model	GE U26C
Build date	1971-1973
Total produced	125

Specifications
AAR wheel arr	C-C
UIC class	Co'Co'
Gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Cape gauge
Wheel diameter	915 mm (36.0 in)
Wheelbase	13,004 mm (42 ft 8.0 in)
• Bogie	3,188 mm (10 ft 5.5 in)
Pivot centres	10,058 mm (33 ft 0 in)
Length:
• Over couplers	17,982 mm (59 ft 0 in)
Width	2,756 mm (9 ft 0.5 in)
Height	3,962 mm (13 ft 0 in)
Axle load	18,850 kg (41,560 lb)
Adhesive weight	113,100 kg (249,300 lb)
Loco weight	113,100 kg (249,300 lb) max
Fuel type	Diesel
Fuel capacity	5,400 litres (1,200 imp gal) as built 7,000 litres (1,500 imp gal) mod.
Prime mover	GE 7FDL-12
RPM range	450-1,050
• RPM low idle	450
• RPM idle	535
• Maximum RPM	1,050
Engine type	4 stroke diesel
Aspiration	Elliott H-581 turbocharger
Alternator	10 pole 3 phase GE 5GT-A11C1
Traction motors	Six GE 5GE-761A13 DC 4 pole
• Rating 1 hour	665A
• Continuous	655A @ 24 km/h (15 mph)
Cylinders	V12
Gear ratio	92:19
MU working	6 maximum
Loco brake	28-LAV-1 with vigilance control
Train brakes	Westinghouse 6CDX4UC compressor/exhauster
Air reservoir cap	825 litres (181 imp gal)
Compressor cap	0.039 m³/s (1.4 cu ft/s)
Exhauster cap	0.155 m³/s (5.5 cu ft/s)
Couplers	AAR knuckle type E

Performance figures
Maximum speed	100 km/h (62 mph)
Power output:
• Starting	2,050 kW (2,750 hp)
• Continuous	1,940 kW (2,600 hp)
Tractive effort:
• Starting	272 kN (61,000 lbf) @ 25% adh.
• Continuous	218 kN (49,000 lbf) @ 26 km/h (16 mph)
Factor of adh: • Starting	25%
• Continuous	20%
Loco brakeforce	60% ratio @ 345 kPa (50.0 psi)
Dynamic brake peak effort	180 kN (40,000 lbf) @ 29 km/h (18 mph)

Career
Operators	South African Railways Spoornet Transnet Freight Rail PRASA
Class	Class 34-000
Number in class	125
Numbers	34-001 to 34-125
Delivered	1971-1973
First run	1971

The South African Railways Class 34-000 of 1971 is a diesel-electric locomotive.

Between July 1971 and March 1973, the South African Railways placed 125 Class 34-000 General Electric type U26C diesel-electric locomotives in service.^[1]

Manufacturer

The Class 34-000 type GE U26C diesel-electric locomotive of the South African Railways (SAR) was designed by General Electric (GE). The first three locomotives were built by GE and imported, numbered in the range from 34-001 to 34-003, while the remainder were built by the South African General Electric-Dorman Long Locomotive Group (SA GE-DL, later Dorbyl) and numbered in the range from 34-004 to 34-125. The 125 locomotives entered service between July 1971 and March 1973.^[1]^[2]^[3]

The same U26C locomotive type is also in use on other railways around the world. One of them is the New Zealand Railways, where it is known as their DX class. Other users are Kenya Railways who, for some years, also leased South African Class 34 U26C locomotives, and América Latina Logística (ALL) in Brazil.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Class 34 series

GE and GM-EMD designs

The Class 34 consists of seven series, the GE Classes 34-000, 34-400, 34-500 (also known as "34-400 ex Iscor") and 34-900, and the General Motors Electro-Motive Division (GM-EMD) Classes 34-200, 34-600 and 34-800. Both these manufacturers also produced locomotives for the South African Classes 33, 35 and 36.^[1]

Distinguishing features

As built, the GE Classes 34-000, 34-400 and 34-900 locomotives were visually indistinguishable from each other. The Class 34-500 locomotives could be visually distinguished from the other series by the air conditioning units mounted on their cab roofs and initially, when it was still a feature unique to them, by their running board mounted handrails. At some stage during the mid-1980s, all Class 34-000, 34-400 and 34-500 locomotives had saddle filters installed across the long hood, mounted just to the rear of the screens behind the cab on the sides. Since then, Class 34-900 locomotives could be distinguished from the older models by the absence of the saddle filter.^[4]^[5]^[6]

Modifications

Fuel capacity

As built, the Class 34-000 has a 5,400 litres (1,200 imperial gallons) fuel tank and interlinked bogies, while the Class 34-500 was delivered new to Iscor with a 7,000 litres (1,500 imperial gallons) fuel tank in order to cope with the lack of en route refuelling points on the Sishen-Saldanha iron ore line. To facilitate the larger fuel tank, the inter-bogie linkage, found on all other models, had to be omitted on the Class 34-500.^[7]

Standard 5,400 litre fuel tank

Enlarged 7,000 litre fuel tank

In order to be usable on the iron ore line, Class 34-000 locomotives which ended up working there, were modified to a similar fuel capacity. The inter-bogie linkage was removed and the fuel tank was enlarged, by changing it from saddle-shaped to rectangular box-shaped. To maintain its lateral balance, a slab of metal was attached to each bogie, in place of the removed linkage. In the second picture, the weld lines on the end of the enlarged fuel tank as well as the metal slab at the end of the bogie are visible.^[8]

Running board mounted handrails

Class 34-000 locomotives which were allocated to the Sishen-Saldanha Orex line, were often modified by having removable running board mounted handrails installed. All South African diesel-electric locomotives have their side handrails mounted along the upper edges of their long hoods. The ex Iscor Class 34-500s, however, came equipped with additional removable running board mounted handrails. Since these handrails are slide-fit into brackets which are welded onto the running board, they are easily removed.^[1]

Since c. 2009, other mainline diesel-electric locomotive types also emerged from the Koedoespoort Transwerk shops with running board mounted handrails after major overhauls.^[9]

Electronic control system

Beginning in 2010, some locomotives were equipped with electronic fuel injection and GE "Brite Star" control systems. On some of the first locomotives which were so modified, evidence of the modification is a raised middle portion of the long hood.

Service

GE Class 34-000s work on most mainlines and some branchlines in the central, western, southern and southeastern parts of the country. Some eventually joined the Class 34-500 on the 861 kilometres (535 miles) long Sishen–Saldanha Orex line, to haul export ore from the open cast iron mines at Sishen, near Kathu in the Northern Cape, to the harbour at Saldanha in the Western Cape, until they gradually began to be replaced by new Class 43-000 locomotives in 2012.^[3]

On the Orex line, GE Class 34 series diesel-electric locomotives run consisted to Class 9E or Class 15E electric locomotives, to haul the 342 wagon iron ore trains. Each wagon has a 100-ton capacity and the trains are at least 3.72 kilometres (2.31 miles) in length, powered by mixed consists of Class 9E and Class 15E electric, GE U26C Class 34-000, 34-400, 34-500 and 34-900 and, from 2012, GE C30ACi Class 43-000 diesel-electric locomotives. In South Africa, mixed electric and diesel-electric consists are unique to the iron ore line.^[1]^[10]^[11]

Ore train about 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of Lamberts Bay

Works numbers

The Class 34-000 builder's works numbers are listed in the table.^[2]

**Class 34-000, GE type U26C**
Loco no.	Builder	Works no.
34-001	GE	37810
34-002	GE	37811
34-003	GE	37812
34-004	GE-DL	37813
34-005	GE-DL	37814
34-006	GE-DL	37815
34-007	GE-DL	37816
34-008	GE-DL	37817
34-009	GE-DL	37818
34-010	GE-DL	37819
34-011	GE-DL	37820
34-012	GE-DL	37821
34-013	GE-DL	37822
34-014	GE-DL	37823
34-015	GE-DL	37824
34-016	GE-DL	37825
34-017	GE-DL	37826
34-018	GE-DL	37827
34-019	GE-DL	37828
34-020	GE-DL	37829
34-021	GE-DL	37830
34-022	GE-DL	37831
34-023	GE-DL	37832
34-024	GE-DL	37833
34-025	GE-DL	37834
34-026	GE-DL	37835
34-027	GE-DL	37836
34-028	GE-DL	37837
34-029	GE-DL	37838
34-030	GE-DL	37839
34-031	GE-DL	37840
34-032	GE-DL	37841
34-033	GE-DL	37842
34-034	GE-DL	37843
34-035	GE-DL	37844
34-036	GE-DL	37845
34-037	GE-DL	37846
34-038	GE-DL	37847
34-039	GE-DL	37848
34-040	GE-DL	37849
34-041	GE-DL	37850
34-042	GE-DL	37851
34-043	GE-DL	37852
34-044	GE-DL	37853
34-045	GE-DL	37854
34-046	GE-DL	37855
34-047	GE-DL	37856
34-048	GE-DL	37857
34-049	GE-DL	37858
34-050	GE-DL	37859
34-051	GE-DL	37860
34-052	GE-DL	37861
34-053	GE-DL	37862
34-054	GE-DL	37863
34-055	GE-DL	37864
34-056	GE-DL	37865
34-057	GE-DL	37866
34-058	GE-DL	37867
34-059	GE-DL	37868
34-060	GE-DL	37869
34-061	GE-DL	37870
34-062	GE-DL	37871
34-063	GE-DL	37872
34-064	GE-DL	37873
34-065	GE-DL	37874
34-066	GE-DL	37875
34-067	GE-DL	37876
34-068	GE-DL	37877
34-069	GE-DL	37878
34-070	GE-DL	37879
34-071	GE-DL	37880
34-072	GE-DL	37881
34-073	GE-DL	37882
34-074	GE-DL	37883
34-075	GE-DL	37884
34-076	GE-DL	37885
34-077	GE-DL	37886
34-078	GE-DL	37887
34-079	GE-DL	37888
34-080	GE-DL	37889
34-081	GE-DL	37890
34-082	GE-DL	37891
34-083	GE-DL	37892
34-084	GE-DL	37893
34-085	GE-DL	37894
34-086	GE-DL	37895
34-087	GE-DL	37896
34-088	GE-DL	37897
34-089	GE-DL	37898
34-090	GE-DL	37899
34-091	GE-DL	37900
34-092	GE-DL	37901
34-093	GE-DL	37902
34-094	GE-DL	37903
34-095	GE-DL	37904
34-096	GE-DL	37905
34-097	GE-DL	37906
34-098	GE-DL	37907
34-099	GE-DL	37908
34-100	GE-DL	37909
34-101	GE-DL	37910
34-102	GE-DL	37911
34-103	GE-DL	37912
34-104	GE-DL	37913
34-105	GE-DL	37914
34-106	GE-DL	37915
34-107	GE-DL	37916
34-108	GE-DL	37917
34-109	GE-DL	37918
34-110	GE-DL	37919
34-111	GE-DL	37920
34-112	GE-DL	37921
34-113	GE-DL	37922
34-114	GE-DL	37923
34-115	GE-DL	37924
34-116	GE-DL	37925
34-117	GE-DL	37926
34-118	GE-DL	37927
34-119	GE-DL	37928
34-120	GE-DL	37929
34-121	GE-DL	37930
34-122	GE-DL	37931
34-123	GE-DL	37932
34-124	GE-DL	37933
34-125	GE-DL	37934

The Blue Train

In the SAR and Spoornet eras, when the official locomotive liveries were Gulf Red and whiskers for the SAR, and initially orange and later maroon for Spoornet, many selected electric locomotives and some diesel-electrics were painted blue for use with the Blue Train, but without altering the layout of the various paint schemes. Blue Train locomotives were therefore blue with yellow whiskers in the SAR era, blue with the Spoornet logo and "SPOORNET" in Spoornet’s orange era, and blue with the Spoornet logo but without "SPOORNET" in Spoornet’s maroon era. In Spoornet’s blue era, there was no need for a separate Blue Train livery, while in the Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) era one Class 14E and the surviving Class 14E1 electric locomotives were eventually repainted in blue during 2012, for use with the Blue Train.^[2]

Five Class 34-000 locomotives, numbers 34-055 to 34-059, were painted in the SAR Blue Train livery. They were all eventually repainted in Spoornet’s orange livery, after they were replaced in Blue Train service by seven Class 34-900 locomotives, numbers 34-924 to 34-930.^[2]

Illustration

The main picture shows no. 34-044 in the Orex yard at Saldanha, in Spoornet orange livery and with running board mounted handrails. Other liveries which were applied to Class 34-000 locomotives are illustrated below.

No. 34-108 in SAR Gulf Red and whiskers livery at Bloemfontein, Free State, 14 October 2009
No. 34-058 and 34-059 in SAR Blue Train livery, still without saddle filters, at Modderrivier, Cape Province, 1 September 1975
No. 34-013 in Spoornet maroon livery at Swartkops Loco Depot, Port Elizabeth, 20 April 2013
No. 34-102 in Spoornet blue livery with outline numbers at Bloemfontein, Free State, 14 October 2009
No. 34-108 in Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa's Shosholoza Meyl livery at Beaufort West, 10 October 2015
"Brite Star" equipped no. 34-084 in Transnet Freight Rail livery at Swartkops, 20 April 2013

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 South African Railways Index and Diagrams Electric and Diesel Locomotives, 610mm and 1065mm Gauges, Ref LXD 14/1/100/20, 28 January 1975, as amended
1 2 3 4 5 Middleton, John N. (2002). Railways of Southern Africa Locomotive Guide - 2002 (as amended by Combined Amendment List 4, January 2009) (2nd, Dec 2002 ed.). Herts, England: Beyer-Garratt Publications. pp. 38, 40–41, 46.
1 2 3 Paxton, Leith; Bourne, David (1985). Locomotives of the South African Railways (1st ed.). Cape Town: Struik. pp. 140–141. ISBN 0869772112.
↑ 34-057 with saddle filter, 14 October 2009
↑ 34-058 & 34-059 without saddle filter, 1 September 1975
↑ 34-060 with saddle filter, 25 August 2007
↑ Information received from John Nicholas Middleton
↑ Bogie interlinking removed
↑ Shosholoza Meyl’s 34-102 with running board handrails
↑ Actom Divisions News, 22 July 2010
↑ Information supplied by Orex train crew members

External links

External video
34-072 and 34-036, 14 October 2009 A pair of Class 34-000 locomotives leave the Bloemfontein yard with a mixed goods train, heading south. (3 minutes)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to South African Class 34-000.

Locomotives of South Africa

Steam

7' ¼" gauge	East London Harbour 0-4-0 Table Bay Harbour 0-4-0ST Table Bay Harbour 0-4-0T Table Bay Harbour 0-4-0WT

4' 8½" gauge	Cape 0-4-0T Blackie Cape 0-4-2 Cape 2-4-0T CGR 0-4-0ST Aid Natal 0-4-0ST Durban Natal 0-4-0WT Natal Natal 4-4-0T Perseverance

3' 6" gauge Tank engines	CGR 0-4-0ST 1873 CGR 0-4-0ST 1874 CGR 0-4-0ST 1881 Coffee Pot CGR 0-6-0ST 1902 CGR 0-6-0T 1876 Back-to-Back CGR 2-6-0ST 1900 CGR 2-6-0ST 1902 CGR 1st Class 0-4-0ST 1875 CGR 1st Class 0-4-0ST 1876 CGR 1st Class 2-6-0ST 1876 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0T 1875 CGR 2nd Class 4-4-0T 1882 CGR 3rd Class 2-6-0T CGR Railmotor CSAR Class C CSAR Class E CSAR Rack CSAR Railmotor DSWA Eight-Coupled Tank 2-8-0T Durban's Congella Durban's Edward Innes Durban's John Milne Durban's Sir Albert Port Elizabeth Harbour 0-4-0ST Kowie Railway 0-6-0T Kowie Railway 4-4-0T Metropolitan & Suburban 4-6-2T NGR 2-6-0T Durban & Pietermaritzburg NGR Class I 2-6-2T NGR Class K 0-4-0ST NGR Class K 0-6-0ST NGR Class K 2-6-0T NZASM 10 Tonner NZASM 13 Tonner NZASM 14 Tonner NZASM 18 Tonner NZASM 19 Tonner NZASM 32 Tonner NZASM 40 Tonner PPR 26 Tonner PPR 35 Tonner Portuguese SAR 0-4-0ST 1903 SAR 0-4-0T no. 69 SAR Class A SAR Class B SAR Class C SAR Class C1 SAR Class C2 SAR Class D SAR Class E SAR Class F SAR Class G SAR Class H SAR Class H1 SAR Class H2 SAR Class J SAR Class K SAR Clayton Railmotor

3' 6" gauge Tender engines	CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1876 Beyer, Peacock CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1876 Kitson CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1879 CGR 1st Class 2-6-0 1891 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0 1879 CGR 1st Class 4-4-0TT 1881 CGR 2nd Class 2-6-2TT 1875 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1883 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1884 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1889 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1898 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1901 CGR 3rd Class 4-4-0 1903 CGR 4th Class 4-4-2 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1880 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1882 CGR 4th Class 4-6-0TT 1884 CGR 5th Class 4-6-0 1890 CGR 5th Class 4-6-0 1891 DSWA Eight-Coupled Tender 2-8-0 NGR Havelock NGR Class I SAR Class Exp 1 SAR Class Exp 2 SAR Class Exp 3 SAR Class Exp 4 SAR Class Exp 5 SAR Class Exp 6 SAR Class S SAR Class S1 SAR Class S2 SAR Class 1 SAR Class 1A SAR Class 1B SAR Class 2 SAR Class 2C SAR Class 3 SAR Class 3A SAR Class 3B SAR Class 4 SAR Class 4A SAR Class 5 SAR Class 5A SAR Class 5B SAR Class 6 SAR Class 6A SAR Class 6B SAR Class 6C SAR Class 6D SAR Class 6E SAR Class 6F SAR Class 6G SAR Class 6H SAR Class 6J SAR Class 6K SAR Class 6L SAR Class 6Y SAR Class 6Z SAR Class 7 SAR Class 7A SAR Class 7B SAR Class 7C SAR Class 7D SAR Class 7E SAR Class 7F SAR Class 8 SAR Class 8A SAR Class 8B SAR Class 8C SAR Class 8D SAR Class 8E SAR Class 8F SAR Class 8R SAR Class 8X SAR Class 8Y SAR Class 8Z SAR Class 9 SAR Class 10 SAR Class 10A SAR Class 10B SAR Class 10C SAR Class 10D SAR Class 11 SAR Class 12 SAR Class 12A SAR Class 12B SAR Class 13 SAR Class 14 SAR Class 14A SAR Class 14B SAR Class 14C SAR Class 15 SAR Class 15A SAR Class 15B SAR Class 15C SAR Class 15CA SAR Class 15E SAR Class 15F SAR Class 16 SAR Class 16A SAR Class 16B SAR Class 16C SAR Class 16D SAR Class 16DA SAR Class 16E SAR Class 17 SAR Class 18 SAR Class 19 SAR Class 19A SAR Class 19B SAR Class 19C SAR Class 19D SAR Class 20 SAR Class 21 SAR Class 23 SAR Class 24 SAR Class 25 SAR Class 25NC SAR Class 26 Red Devil

3' 6" gauge Articulated engines	CGR Fairlie CGR Kitson-Meyer SAR Class FC SAR Class FD SAR Class GA SAR Class GB SAR Class GC SAR Class GCA SAR Class GD SAR Class GDA SAR Class GE SAR Class GEA SAR Class GF SAR Class GG SAR Class GH SAR Class GK SAR Class GL SAR Class GM SAR Class GMA SAR Class GO SAR Class HF SAR Class KM SAR Class MA SAR Class MB SAR Class MC SAR Class MC1 SAR Class MD SAR Class ME SAR Class MF SAR Class MG SAR Class MH SAR Class MJ SAR Class MJ1 SAR Class U

2' 6" gauge	Cape Copper 0-6-0T 1871 Cape Copper Britannia Cape Copper Caledonia Cape Copper Clara Class Cape Copper Condenser Cape Copper Scotia Class Namaqua Copper Pioneer

2' & 600mm gauges	ACR Class NG-G16A CGR NG 0-6-0T CGR NG 4-6-2T CGR Type A 2-6-4T CGR Type C 0-4-0T DSWA Class Ha DSWA Class Hb DSWA Class Hc DSWA Class Hd DSWA Jung DSWA Zwillinge NGR Class N 4-6-2T SAR NG 0-4-0T 1899 SAR Class NG1 SAR Class NG2 SAR Class NG3 SAR Class NG4 SAR Class NG5 SAR Class NG6 SAR Class NG7 SAR Class NG8 SAR Class NG9 SAR Class NG10 SAR Class NG-G11 SAR Class NG-G12 SAR Class NG-G13 SAR Class NG-G14 SAR Class NG15 SAR Class NG-G16

Electric

Amcoal Class E38

Diesel

3' 6" gauge Diesel-electric	PRASA Class Afro 4000 SAR Class DS SAR Class DS1 SAR Class 31-000 SAR Class 32-000 SAR Class 32-200 SAR Class 33-000 SAR Class 33-200 SAR Class 33-400 SAR Class 34-000 SAR Class 34-200 SAR Class 34-400 SAR Class 34-500 SAR Class 34-600 SAR Class 34-800 SAR Class 34-900 SAR Class 35-000 SAR Class 35-200 SAR Class 35-400 SAR Class 35-600 SAR Class 36-000 SAR Class 36-200 SAR Class 37-000 Spoornet Class 39-000 TFR Class 35-800 TFR Class 39-200 TFR Class 43-000 TFR Class 44-000

2' gauge Diesel-electric	SAR Class 91-000

3' 6" gauge Diesel-hydraulic	SAR Class 61-000

3' 6" gauge Electro-diesel	Spoornet Class 38-000

Diesel locomotives built by GE Transportation / GE Rail (GE)

Industrial and switch engines	60-ton boxcab 100-ton boxcab 600-hp centercab 1000-hp centercab DEY-2 EN-6 25-ton 35-ton 43-ton 44-ton 45-ton 50-ton 60-ton 65-ton 70-ton 80-ton 95-ton 100-ton 110-ton 125-ton 126-ton 128-ton 1800-hp transfer 2000-hp transfer U5B U6B

Universal Series	UM6B U9B U10B U12B U13B UD18 U18B U23B U25B U28B U30B U33B U36B UM12C U12C U14C U15C U17C U18C U18C1 U20C U20C1 U23C U25C U26C U28C U30C U33C U36C U50C U50

Passenger locomotives	U28CG U30CG U34CH P30CH B32-8WH Genesis series (P40DC, P32AC-DM, P42DC)

Dash 7 Series	B23-7 BQ23-7 B30-7 B30-7A B36-7 C30-7 C30-7A C36-7

Dash 8 Series	B32-8 B39-8 B40-8 B40-8W C32-8 C39-8 C40-8 C40-8M C40-8W C40-8.5W C41-8W C44-8W

Dash 9 Series	C40-9 C40-9W C44-9W BB40-9W C-38AChe

AC series	AC4400CW AC6000CW C30ACi C44ACi

Evolution Series	ES40ACi ES40DC ES44DC ES44DCi ES44AC ES44C4 ES59ACi

PowerHaul Series	PH37ACmi PH37ACi PH37ACmai

Indonesian series	U18A1A C18MMi C20EMP CM20EMP

(see also: List of GE locomotives)

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